From loss to gain: Bianca’s full-circle moment

On 9 December, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences graduate Bianca Anderson (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Maniapoto) walked the stage as a registered nurse, completing a five-year journey that transformed childhood grief into purpose.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Nursing and supported through the Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS), Bianca also won the Te Ākonga Matua Distinguished MAPAS Student Prize.  

During her studies, she emerged as a strong advocate for nurses’ rights. As student co-chair of the NZNO National Student Unit, she became a voice for nursing students working under immense pressure around the country.

But her path into health began much earlier – shaped by loss.

“When I was four years old, I lost my baby sister. She was only eight weeks old,” Bianca says. “Grief and loss are huge for a little girl. I grew up faster than most children, and it gave me a different perspective on life.”

Living in Australia at the time, her whānau experience revealed inequities in healthcare.

“One bad interaction in a vulnerable moment can cause mistrust,” she says. “Even as a young child, I became more aware, and more wary, of what doctors and nurses were doing.”

Rather than turning her away from healthcare, that experience inspired her to pursue it.

In high school, Bianca was introduced to Whakapiki Ake, a Māori-focused health careers and academic support programme through MAPAS. It was the spark that set her direction. After completing a Certificate in Health Sciences and exploring other study pathways, it was a role in a hospital that showed her the resilience of nurses.

“They’re the real, quiet heroes of the health system,” she says. “This career isn’t easy, but you choose it because you want to make a difference. And I saw that clearly while working for Health NZ Te Toka Tumai.”

Her baby sister remains at the heart of that decision.

“I want whānau to feel they can trust health professionals – a safe, respectful space where dignity is upheld. The care my parents’ received made them feel overlooked and disregarded. That’s always stayed with me, so I want better outcomes for others.”

A strong voice for her peers

Throughout her studies, Bianca used her advocacy role to spotlight the challenges facing new nursing graduates.

Mid-year it was widely reported that Health NZ could not afford to employ all nurses in the public hospital system, with only around 45 percent of graduates hired. 

“That’s a sharp drop from previous years when 80–90 percent were hired," says Biana. "Now many students are left in limbo.”

And while the Minister of Health announced more funding in early 2025 to incentivise the primary care and community sector to employ up to 400 graduate registered nurses, that might be too late for some. 

A survey Bianca helped develop showed that 62 percent of 1,246 nursing students would consider working overseas if they couldn’t secure a graduate role. Among Māori, that rose to 73 percent.

“Under-staffing and uncertainty risk losing the next generation before they even start,” she says. “Part-time roles and reduced training make it hard to earn a stable income or build skills properly.”

She says many of her peers are already looking overseas. “They know they’re valued abroad. It’s sad when Aotearoa is facing nursing shortages and a health crisis.”

Bridging te ao Māori and nursing

Despite challenges around graduate hiring, Bianca has secured a placement at Auckland City Hospital and will join the neonatal unit in 2026

For her, it’s a full circle moment, returning to a place once defined by grief.

The unit provides specialised, around-the-clock care for sick or premature newborns, offering intensive monitoring, treatment, and support for issues such as breathing difficulties, infections, and low birth weight.

“Within the neonatal space, I feel a sense of pride being entrusted with the future of our culture. These babies are vital to the continuation of te ao Māori,” she says.

Bianca first said her pepeha at 14, after her grandmother began a journey of cultural reclamation. On a school marae visit, a kuia told her they were related – they shared the same pepeha, the same whakapapa.

“It was the first time I felt a deep connection to my identity,” she says. “Those stories about my ancestors are something I hold for future generations.”

Te ao Māori has since become a grounding force. Bianca sees it as essential to bridging gaps in the health system she’s about to enter.

“As Māori, we’re all on our own cultural journey. Even small things – like pronouncing someone’s name correctly, can build trust. It shows respect and that you see them, not just the illness.

“Having a baby is a special moment for a whānau, but it can also be traumatising if they do not receive the right care. I want to be the nurse who brings grace and compassion. Sometimes just listening creates calm in a turbulent moment.

“Some situations can be prevented too, so I hope I keep developing professionally, to be the best for my patients.” she adds. “My whānau experience drives me to prevent harm, offer manaakitanga, provide good care, and support whānau with compassion and agency.”